As in many fields, conceptualizations of disability have shifted and evolved within the field of community psychology. The current study aimed to capture the historic inclusion of disability groups over the first 35 years of community psychology research. Articles published in the American Journal of Community Psychology and the Journal of Community Psychology from 1973 to 2007 were coded for the inclusion of research populations within a broad definition of disabilities. In order to capture studies which include persons with disabilities as well as studies of services for persons with disabilities, regardless of the articles definition of disability or lack thereof, the current study included any article which fit its broad definition. This included articles dealing with, sensory, developmental, physical and cognitive disabilities. The resulting findings demonstrate the evolution not only of concepts of disability but of community psychology as a field.

1. The Development of Disability in
Community Psychology Research
Presented by Robert E. Gutierrez
& Christopher B. Keys
Department of Psychology
DePaul University

2. Abstract
As in many fields, conceptualizations of disability have shifted and
evolved within the field of community psychology. The current study
aimed to capture the historic inclusion of disability groups over the
first 35 years of community psychology research. Articles published
in the American Journal of Community Psychology and the Journal
of Community Psychology from 1973 to 2007 were coded for the
inclusion of research populations within a broad definition of
disabilities. In order to capture studies which include persons with
disabilities as well as studies of services for persons with disabilities,
regardless of the articles definition of disability or lack thereof, the
current study included any article which fit its broad definition. This
included articles dealing with, sensory, developmental, physical and
cognitive disabilities. The resulting findings demonstrate the
evolution not only of concepts of disability but of community
psychology as a field.

3. Disability as Human Diversity
Traditionally disability has largely been ignored as a
component of diversity and instead has been
addressed solely from a medical or rehabilitation
approach.
Researchers have pointed out mainstream
psychology's failure to consider disability
populations in an inclusive, productive manner as
well as the potential for community psychology as a
perfect venue for such an undertaking (Dowrick &
Keys, 2001; Lawthom & Goodley, 2005)

4. The Study
A group of coders examined each article of AJCP and
JCP from 1975 to 2005 for the population served.
•This coding utilized an emergent coding scheme
•Coders recorded the each article’s participants
and/or service recipients
•These codes were later aggregated into more
generalizable codes representing populations
•Inclusion criteria-- Articles included:
▫ One or more disability populations
or
▫ services targeted towards a disability population.

5. Traditional Disability Populations
Included in the articles coded for disability populations
and services
4 “traditional” disability populations arose:
1.Cognitive developmental disabilities (45 articles)
2.Physical disabilities (20 articles)
3.Sensory disabilities (3 articles)
4.Disabilities not otherwise specified (8 articles)
 Discussed disabilities in general or generalized across
disability populations
Based on these 4 populations, disabilities comprises less
than 3% of the total community psychology literature (77
articles)

6. Cognitive/Developmental Disabilities
Cognitive/developmental disabilities made up
• 1.50% all community psychology literature
• 58.44% of articles coded for disability
Number of Percent of
Articles Cognitive/Developmen
tal Disability Articles
Total Cognitive and Developmental 45 100%
People with Developmental 30 65.22%
Disabilities
People with Learning Disabilities 8 17.39%
People with Intellectual Disabilities 6 15.22%
People with Brain Damage 1 2.17%

7. Physical Disabilities
• Made up only 0.67% of all community articles
• Represented a quarter of all disability articles
• Only half dealt with a specific physical disability
Number of Percent of Physical
Articles Disability Articles
Total Physical Disability 20
People with Physical Handicaps 10 50.00%
(not otherwise specified)
People with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome 3 15.00%
People Musculoskeletal Disorders 2 10.00%
People with Obesity 2 10.00%
People with Multiple Sclerosis 1 5.00%
People with Spina Bifida 1 5.00%
People with Fibromyalgia Syndrome 1 5.00%

8. Sensory Disabilities
• The smallest sector of the disability literature
• Only 3 articles appeared in AJCP and JCP
between 1973 and 2007 specifically addressed
sensory disabilities.
▫ 2 on deafness
▫ 1 on blindness

9. Inclusion over Time

10. Disability & Other Domains of Diversity
Intersection Domains Number of
Articles
Gender and Physical Disability 5
Race and Cognitive/Developmental Disability 2
Race, Gender, and Disability 2
Gender and Disability (General) 1
Race and Disability (General) 1
Race, Gender, and Cognitive/Developmental Disability 1
Race, Gender, Sexuality, and Disability 1
Total Intersections 13
Of all articles focused on disability populations, only
17% dealt with other domains of diversity as well.

11. Discussion: Understanding Community
Psychology’s inclusion of disabilities
Cognitive and developmental disabilities’ decrease
over time seems to mirror two larger
developments
1.The funding for deinstitutionalization and
developing community services available in the
70s and early 80s.
2.Community Psychology’s divergence from
clinical psychology

12. Reflection: Understanding Community
Psychology’s inclusion of disabilities
Overall inclusion of disabilities has decreased over the
last 10 years
•The decrease in cognitive/developmental disabilities
does not, by itself, explain the overall decline
•The growth and decline of physical disabilities
• ADA Battles?
• Community Psychology membership
• Disability Studies

13. Moving Forward
• This study does not address the inclusion of psycho-
emotional disabilities and services
• An inclusive definition of disabilities would include
these populations, however they represent a number
of conceptual challenges.
• With this in mind, future studies hope to;
▫ Build an understanding of community psychology’s
inclusion of psycho-emotional disabilities
▫ Illuminate the role of disability perspectives within
community psychology’s inclusion of mental health
populations and services

14. References
Dowrick, P. W. and Keys, C. B (2001). Community psychology and disability studies. Journal of
Prevention & Intervention in the Community, 21(2), 1-14.
Blanchett, W. J., Klingner, J. K. and Harry, D. (2009). The intersection of race, culture, language,
and disability: Implications for urban education. Urban Education, 44, 389-409.
Harper, D. (1991). Paradigms for investigating rehabilitation and adaptation to childhood
disability and chronic illness. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 16, 533–542.
Lawthom, R. and Goodley, D. (2005). Community psychology: Towards an empowering vision of
disability. The Community Psychologist, 18(7), 423-425.
McDonald, K. E., Keys, C.B., & Balcazar, F. E. (2007). Disability, race/ethnicity and gender:
Themes of cultural oppression, acts of individual resistance. American Journal of
Community Psychology, 39(1-2), 145-161.
Miles, M. B. and Huberman, M. (1994) Qualitative Data Analysis: An Expanded Sourcebook. Sage
Publications: Thousand Oaks, CA.
Olkin, R. and Pledger, C. (2003). Can disability studies and psychology join hands? The American
Psychologist, 58 (4), 296.
Ryan, G.W. and Bernard, H.R. (2003) 'Techniques to Identify Themes, Field Methods, 15(1): 85-109.